On The Line
by complete-randomalities
Summary: Set years after the events of Across the Divide, this is the next installment of Anya's tale. A new Realm, a new town, a new story, and a second chance at a happy ending await. Let us begin again with once upon a time...
1. Welcome to Hyperion Heights

_Storybrooke – Years Ago_

Regina and Henry walked out of their home in Storybrooke. She was still trying to get him to think this decision of his over. "Henry, think about this. I was hoping after High School you'd plan on going to college."

"I know," he sighed as he walked down the path to the street, "but College isn't going anywhere. I just – I need to do this. And besides, it's not like I'm going alone. You know Anya's coming with me and I think we both know she needs this, too."

Regina looked down, knowing what Henry was trying to say. After August passed away a couple months ago, Anya hadn't been the same. Getting away would be good for her. Before Regina could say anything about that, Anya came up the walkway with a wave to them.

"Hi, sweetheart," Regina greeted, giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Mom," Anya replied, doing the same, then turned to Henry. "Hey there, little brother." She chuckled a bit as she mussed up his hair.

"I'm eighteen," he countered, pushing her hand away with scoffed chuckle. "I'm not a little kid anymore."

Anya rolled her eyes then crossed her arms, looking between them. "Did I just interrupt anything here?" There was just something on their expressions that made her thing she just had.

"Mom is trying to convince me not to go," Henry answered, not about to beat around the bush about it.

"I'm just trying to understand," Regina admitted.

"Operation Cobra is over. We have our happy endings…" Henry trailed off when he saw Anya look down, then got back to what he was trying to say. "I'm still the Author, Mom. All this time I've been writing everyone else's stories. I need to find out what my story is and maybe help Anya find the next chapter of hers."

"Don't go making this trip about me now," Anya as she pointed a scolding finger towards him. "I had my Happy Ending. It may not have been long-lived but the time I had with August…I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world." Anya was straying from her point and cleared her throat to remedy that. "What I'm trying to say is – I'm in no rush to find out what happens next. This is your time, Henry. I'm just tagging along for the ride. With all the different books you found in the Sorcerer's Mansion, the possibilities are endless."

"There is one thing I found in common with them all, though," Henry told her with a smile. "We're not in any of them. There's only one me and one you."

"That's kinda daunting," Anya laughed but in a way she thought that was pretty damn cool. "At least we don't have to worry about our counterparts running around in the other stories. _That_ could get pretty weird pretty fast."

Henry chuckled and walked with her to the set of motorcycles parked on the street. While he got on his, Anya hugged Regina and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you," Regina replied and said to Henry, "both of you."

Anya took a deep breath before getting onto her motorcycle because it was August's. She put her leg over and pulled on her helmet, giving Henry the nod to throw the Bean.

Henry nodded back and threw the Bean down the street to open a Portal they could drive into.

Regina was really starting to worry about this. "Henry, if that's your only Bean, getting back here…"

"Will be an adventure," he finished for her. "I love you, Mom."

Regina blew them both kisses with tears in her eyes then looked over at Anya when she spoke.

"Oh, before I forget…you're going to be a grandma," Anya lowered her visor and sped off before Regina could say anything with Henry riding right behind her into the Portal.

Regina stood there stunned because not only were her children going through a Portal to Realms unknown but also because Anya was carrying a child while doing it.

* * *

_Seattle – Present Day_

Anya sat in Henry's apartment in Seattle watching TV with a carton of Chinese food in her hand. When he came in, she said, "You're just in time! They're about to air the Karate Kid. Love that movie."

"You do realize you have your own apartment, right?" Henry shook his head with a sigh as he went over to his desk to sit. "And, if I remember correctly, it's right down the hall."

"You have the better TV," Anya grinned and added, "And I bought dinner." She lifted the carton and wiggled it along with the chopstick for a visual aid.

Henry was trying to stay annoyed but he was failing. "Did you get extra Rangoon?"

Anya knew the Chinese food would be the clincher. "Do I ever forget it?" As Henry left his desk to get some food, she looked over at his laptop. "How's the writing going?"

"Not well," Henry admitted. "All I have typed so far is 'poetic opening line goes here…'." To get the topic off him, he turned it back to her, "What about you? How's your business endeavor going?"

"You'd think with all the cheaters out there that someone would want to hire a P.I. but _noooo_," Anya waved her hands, talking with them in a way. "So what if I got kicked off the Police Force – wouldn't that give me more cred that I'm willing to bend the rules to get answers?"

"Who knows, maybe the police will come to you for help some time? That might give you a bit of a kick-off?" Henry was trying to find a silver lining but doubted it was working.

"Yeah, well, I better find something in the meantime because I got that apartment down the hall I need to pay rent for." Anya sighed and got to her feet to get a drink.

Henry, who was eating on the counter, asked with a full mouth, "Do you need some money?"

"Why? Have you got some to spare?" Anya asked, despite knowing the answer.

Henry shook his head with a laugh because he didn't and she knew it.

Before either of them could say another word there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Henry moved off the counter and went to answer it.

Anya saluted at him with a laugh and continued to watch the TV but muted it when she heard Henry say to whoever was at the door, "I don't have a daughter." This intrigued her. "What's going on?" she asked, pulling the door wider to see a young girl standing there and an older boy - who looked about eighteen - join them.

"No one's answering there," the boy said then saw Anya standing there. "Mom, there you are!"

"Mom?" Anya and Henry said in unison. Henry turned to her asking, "When did you have a kid and not tell me?"

Anya turned the question back on him "When did _you_ have a kid and not tell _me_?"

"I don't have a kid," was his answer to that.

"Well, neither do I." Anya placed her hand on Henry, saying, "It's plausible for you not to know but…" she then placed her hands on herself saying, "I think I'd remember having a kid."

Jack looked down at his cousin and said, "You were right – this is going to be interesting." With a bit of a 'whoop' he pushed past Henry and Anya and walked into the apartment with Lucy right behind him.

Anya and Henry looked at each other with 'wtf' faces before going after them. "Is this some sort of a joke?" Henry asked and gestured between him and his sister, "because neither of us have kids."

"Oh, that's just the Curse," Jack pointed out like it was nothing and Lucy added in,

"It changed all your memories."

"A Curse?" Anya laughed and turned to Henry, "It's like your book."

"You know, I kinda expected my favorite writer to have a bit more…success," Lucy pointed out as she walked around the apartment, noting all the dust around.

Jack sat on the back of the couch, agreeing with her. "This place is a dump."

"Well, I didn't exactly write Harry Potter," Henry defended.

"Or anything since that one book," Lucy answered, looking at Henry's laptop.

"Pump the brakes for a moment," Anya asked of them and walked over to Jack. "Look, kid, I don't know what game you're trying to play here - or if you've got the wrong information - but I, Anya Mills, have _never_ had a kid."

Jack stood up and patted her shoulder in a comforting way. "It's just the Curse, Mom."

"Don't call me that," she practically hissed because this kid wasn't listening to her.

Lucy chimed in there to attempt to help her cousin – He may be older than her but sometimes she didn't think he was much wiser. "He is your son and I'm his daughter but neither of you remember because of the Curse." Lucy pulled a white book from her bag and showed it to Henry. "Like she said, it's just like your book. But you don't remember because you're Cursed. And that's why you're not writing now."

"You're not living your own story," Jack interjected and looked at Anya. "Neither of you are."

Lucy sighed, "Come with us to our neighborhood – Hyperion Heights."

"Hyperion Heights?" Anya and Henry unintentionally said in unison.

"It's like your Storybrooke," Lucy explained.

"No, it's not," Henry countered. "It's a real neighborhood in Seattle. A real city with real people."

"And living with them – your family." Jack put a bit of emphasis there. "And all the other Cursed fairy tale peoples and whatnot."

"Come with us," Lucy pleaded. "You both can meet your True Loves and break the Curse."

"Our True Loves?" Anya laughed. "Wow…I'm starting to think you two broke out of a juvenile mental ward or something."

"We didn't," Jack defended. "Look, _Anya_, your true love is my dad. And Henry, your True Love is Lucy's mom."

Lucy picked up from there. "Cinderella. You met her in the last chapter, remember?"

"Cinderella, huh? Guess that makes you Prince Charming," Anya teased then turned to Jack with crossed arms. "And, for curiosity's sake, who's my supposed True Love? Captain Sparrow? Oh, wait, no. It's Pinocchio like in Henry's book, right?" She spoke like this whole thing was preposterous.

Jack could easily answer that but decided against it. He knew the rule of there being only one True Love for a person but he didn't believe that when it came to his mom. Jack truly believed that Anya had another. "Uh, no. Well, yes, but no." He segued from the serious topic of Pinocchio by talking lightheartedly, "And, well, you know, I could tell you who it is, but I think it'd be far more interesting – for me – and fun – for you – to figure it out on your own." He kinda felt like prodding a bit, though. There was just something about the way she was talking that set off his spidey senses.

Anya shook her head with an 'unbelievable' look on her face. "I – I got nothing. Do you see this look on my face, kid?" She asked as she waved her finger around her expression. "This look means you have just broken my mind."

Henry had to interject there. "Look, none of what I wrote was real. Snow White isn't my grandma. My shrink isn't Jiminy Cricket. My sister didn't marry Pinocchio. I never flew with Peter Pan and I never crashed into Cinderella's carriage."

Jack was starting to get a little frustrated with all this. "It's all true. You did return the Happy Endings and Pinocchio did heal Anya's heart. It's all true."

"And my mom, and everyone else, needs you to do it again. Both of you this time." Lucy looked between her father and her aunt. "You both need to fix this. The Curse put most people in Hyperion Heights, but…"

Henry cut her off. "I hear that's an up-and-coming neighborhood. Doesn't really sound like a Curse to me."

"It is!" Lucy emphasized. "It's up-and-coming because my step-grandma, Cinderella's step-mom, is trying to bring people from this world in, so all the fairy-tale characters move out. Move away. Get separated."

"Just like you lost Cinderella, and Anya lost her True Love, everyone will lose each other." Jack wished that some of this would click, at least with Anya, but it didn't seem to one bit.

Anya laughed with a wave to her hands, saying, "You know what I just realized? I don't have to stay here and listen to any of this since this isn't my apartment. Have fun, little brother."

Henry scoffed incredulously when she said that. "Seriously?" And when Anya scooped up her container of Chinese food with a wave behind her head, he called out, "Thanks a lot!"

"You're welcome!" Anya called back, closing the door behind her.

* * *

_The Other Realm – some years ago_

Anya skidded her motorcycle to a stop when she saw the remnant of an accident. There were broken carriage pieces on the side of the road, along with Henry running over to an unconscious woman wearing a blue dress. "I leave you alone for five minutes and this is what happens?" She asked as she got off her bike to see what happened. Upon noting the glass slippers on the woman's feet, Anya said, "Please tell me you didn't just kill Cinderella."

"Shut up," Henry said to in a light tone before adding in, "Shouldn't you hurry up and get to your kid? The Portal home isn't going to stay open forever."

"Right. Try not to kill Cinderella." Anya gave Henry a salute, returned the helmet to her head and sped off on her motorcycle meet with the Fairies and her friend who were looking after her son – Jack.

* * *

_Seattle – Present Day_

The next morning Anya went into the kitchen to get her cellphone off the charger but instead found a Post-It note saying if she wanted her phone back to go to Roni's, followed with directions. "That little pirate! Thief! Whatever!" She snatched her keys off the counter and went to vent to Henry – and ask for a ride – before heading to this Roni's place.

They met each other in the hall, each with a Post-it note from their designated progenies. "Seriously, what the hell?" Anya fumed as they exchanged their stories. "I would surely know if I had a freaking kid!" Anya swallowed the lump in her throat without continuing.

"Maybe you were right about them," Henry ventured. "Maybe they're a couple of delusional kids who think what I wrote was real. Either way, they have things that belong to us so we should go and get them back."

"I'm starting to think I should put my P.I. skills to work and figure out what's what." Anya wasn't being serious, at least not completely, but as soon as she saw the look on Henry's face as they walked out of their building she knew what he was thinking. "Henry, no."

Henry nodded. "Anya, yes. You should. If nothing else, it'd give you something to bump your resume."

Anya pushed him along to his car, saying, "Let's get our stuff back and then we'll see what happens." She got into the passenger seat and looked at the directions again. "Take a left at the Troll under the Aurora Bridge? No wonder those kids are hooked on fairy tales."

* * *

When Henry parked the car on the side of the street, Anya muttered, "Welcome to Hyperion Heights." They got out together and started down the street but Anya stopped when she saw a blonde girl on a low-level roof. Henry noticed her too, and when she did the girl jumped down onto the dumpster and then in front of them.

The girl looked them over with a smirk before going on her way.

"Lovely to meet you, too," Anya snarkily called out to her with a wave, which made Henry say,

"And here I thought you were the mature one."

Anya draped her arm around her brother's shoulders, saying, "Now what could have possibly given you that idea?"

Henry rolled his eyes and looked up to see the sign for Roni's. "There it is, come on." He held the door open for Anya and walked in behind her. Upon seeing a woman at the bar, he said, "Uh, excuse me, is this Roni's?"

The dark-haired woman at the bar sighed, "I sure hope so. Or else I put the wrong sign up front." She turned around and faced them with a smile. "I'm Roni. What can I get ya?"

Anya took a seat at the bar and smiled, "Got any rum?"

"Since when do you drink rum?" Henry asked as he sat on the stool beside her.

Anya shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know, just feel like it."

"You two are siblings, aren't you?" Roni chuckled, wiggling a finger between them before getting the rum.

"For a second there I was worried you were going to ask if we were a couple." Henry was relieved that wasn't the case.

Roni laughed at that. "Happens a lot?"

"You have no idea." Even Anya was annoyed with it.

"Well, it's your lucky day, kids," Roni stated as she poured their drinks, "whole bar is half off until midnight."

"Is that when this place turns into a pumpkin?" Henry joked.

Roni chuckled. "More like a juice bar or…whatever the bitch who bought us out drinks."

Anya looked disappointed to hear that. "You're selling? And just when I was starting to like the place."

Roni smiled then sighed as she looked around her. "Yeah, well, the neighborhood's changing. And not by choice. By Belfrey."

Henry's brow furrowed a bit. "By what-frey?"

Roni looked surprised that neither of them seemed to know who she was talking about. "Victoria Belfrey?" Still nothing. "She's buying up everything. Bringing folks in. This used to be…used to be a community here. Used to be nice. Now…everyone's scattering." She poured herself a drink. "Can't fight the power, right? Might as well take the money." Roni lifted her glass in cheers before downing the shot.

Roni started to clear off the bar when she caught the looks on their faces as they both looked over towards the door. "It doesn't look like either of you are having a banner day either."

"Been interesting, that's for sure." Henry replied, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Interesting?" Anya laughed. "That's the understatement of the century." She turned to Roni and said, "I mean, seriously, how would you feel if we walked in here and said we were your kids?"

Roni's eyes widened a bit then she set the bottle of rum in front of Anya. "That would be a kicker." She leaned forward on the bar and asked, "So two kids both showed up and said you were their parents?"

"The girl said my little brother here was her father, and the boy his mother," Anya raised her glass in cheers before finishing it off.

A moment later Jack walked in from the back room with a crate in his hands. "I got the glasses all cleaned up, Roni."

Anya stood with a gasped, "You!" as she pointed at him.

Roni looked between them and used her thumb to point behind her at Jack. "This is the kid who came to see you?" At Anya's nod, she took a deep breath and turned to face him with crossed arms. "You can't keep asking random women if they're your mother. Are we going to have to have another discussion about this?"

"Can't I just give her back her phone instead?" Jack asked with a grin.

Roni pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh. "You stole her cellphone?"

"Yep," Jack grinned and headed out through the front door, wiggling Anya's cellphone as he backed out the door.

"That little…" Anya bit her tongue and followed him outside to get it back from him.

"He your kid?" Henry asked as Anya ran out the door.

Roni shook her head. "Sparrow? No, he's not. I help him out from time to time since he doesn't have any family."

"So you're like his fairy godmother?" Henry joked.

Roni got a kick out of that and laughed, "Sure," in reply.

Meanwhile, Anya sprinted down the road and looked for where Jack went. She finally spotted him in an empty lot standing near an old wishing well. When she got closer, she could see he was holding her phone out over it. Anya threw out her arms and scoffed, "Seriously?" when he grinned at her.

"I figured it was the best way to get your attention," Jack replied as he lowered and raised her phone above the well.

"You have it, so please give that back. I can't afford a new one." Anya held her hand out for him to give it to her. "I'm not kidding, kid."

"Five minutes to hear me out and it's yours," Jack bargained.

Anya let out a heavy breath. "Fine. You want to tell me more delusions about a Curse? I'll listen."

Jack thought about it for a moment then decided against it. "On second thought, I think I'll just drop it."

Anya gasped and scolded, "Jackson Robin Hood Booth Sparrow you give that back right now!" She then clasped her hand over her mouth when she realized what she just said.

Jack moved away from the well and walked over to her. "I knew it! As soon as you said 'Captain Sparrow' I knew you remembered!" He handed over the phone with a confused look on his face, "Why did you act like you didn't know anything?"

"It's safer this way," Anya replied, looking around as she took the phone from him and slipped it into her back pocket.

"Safer?" Jack scoffed incredulously. "The safest thing to do is find Dad and break your half of the Curse!"

"My half?" Anya laughed. "I have nothing to do with this Curse. If I was capable of breaking it then don't you think I wouldn't remember anything?"

"I figured our Light protected you," Jack answered, but maybe he was wrong. "Can't you try? Can't you find Dad and True Love's kiss him or something?"

"Your dad isn't my True Love, Jack," Anya sighed. "Your father was. Now I love your dad in a way that I never thought I could again but he's not my True Love."

"Yes, he is! You just have to believe it!" Jack retorted with so much emotion. "He is because he got you to love again. There was a part of your heart that died when father did, _you_ told me that. But Dad…Dad brought that back to life and you can't deny it. Who else could do that other than True Love?"

Anya tried to find words to explain but she found she couldn't. Maybe there was a part of her that couldn't believe Jack was right. August was her True Love and if she believed another could possibly be as well…it made her feel like August was being replaced and that's something she couldn't do.

Even with all that, she could see the hope – the belief – in Jack's eyes and couldn't take that away from him. So she replied as if she did believe Jack. "It won't work," Anya explained. "He would have to feel something for me first. His Hyperion counterpart may hate me on sight. And like I said, I don't think I have anything to do with breaking this Curse. Even with it being cast in a different Realm, I'm still from a different Dimension. Not all the rules apply for me."

Jackson wasn't buying it. "You're stonewalling! What is really going on?"

Anya pressed her hands together and took a deep breath. "Trust me, Jackson. It's safer this way. This Curse…it's a blessing in disguise."

"Oh, yeah?" Jack scoffed. "For who?"

Anya opened her mouth to divert or embellish but found she could do neither and said what she believed to be true, "_Everyone_."

Jack's brow furrowed as he looked at her. He'd never seen her like this before – she was afraid. "Mom, what aren't you telling me?"

Anya wanted to answer that but she found she couldn't. It was a complete blank whenever she tried to remember. "I – I don't know. I can't remember."

"You can't remember, but you know?" Jack wanted to be sure he was following her there.

The more Anya thought about it the weirder this was. "Yeah…I can't explain it…" Suddenly a possibility hit her.

Now that was a face he recognized. "Oooo you thought of something!" he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "This is going to be good."

Anya shook her head in disagreement. "On the contrary. I think I was affected by the Curse and this is it…"

"What's it?" Jack felt like he missed something.

"I can't remember anything about the Curse or things related to the Curse but I _know_ it shouldn't be broken…That's what it's doing to me – it's keeping me from wanting to break it. It wants me to prevent it." That's the only thing that made sense to her.

"Only one way to know for sure," Jack suggested and at his mom's expression said, "Find Dad, cure the part of the Curse that's on you, and find out for sure." Without another word, he started walking away.

Anya side stepped to stop him. "You can't tell anyone I remember, Jackson. Not until I can figure out what memories are truly mine and what's fabricated by the Curse. Do you understand? Not even Lucy." She could see the hesitation on her son's face so she decided to make a deal with him, "If you swear not to tell Lucy then I will go look for your dad. Deal?" She held out her hand to seal it.

Jack, looking pretty pleased with himself, shook her hand. "Deal. You don't have to look very far, though. I know where he is."

* * *

Anya figured she would go meet up with Henry and find out if he got his laptop back before going in search of Jack's dad. What stopped her from doing that was finding Henry's car wasn't where it was parked. She used her cellphone to call Henry and ask what was going on. "Stolen?" as if this day couldn't get any worse. "Wait…you're where?" As soon as Henry told her he was at the Police Station she couldn't help but wonder for a moment if Jack had anything to do with Henry's car's disappearance. "I'll be right there."

Anya returned the phone to her back pocket and walked down the street, saying to herself about Jack, "You little pirate."

It didn't take her long to find the police station. In fact, it took her longer to actually go inside than it did for her to find it. "Stop acting like a child," she said to herself before taking a deep breath and heading inside.

Henry was talking to a police officer about his car when Anya walked in. "Hey, sis," he greeted. "This is Officer Rogers. He's trying to help find the car but isn't getting anywhere."

Anya looked at Rogers and felt the butterflies flapping around in her stomach at the sight of him. 'This is going to be harder than I thought,' she thought to herself before saying to Henry, "I'm sure he's doing the best he can," then she extended her hand with a smile to Rogers. "Thank you for your help."

Rogers shook her hand, not taking his eyes off her and he, too, smiled. "My pleasure."

Their moment was interrupted when Victoria Belfrey walked into the station and right over to Officer Rogers. "Whatever you are doing can wait. I need you to find my granddaughter."

Henry was instantly worried by the news. "Lucy's missing?"

Victoria didn't answer him and continued speaking to Rogers. "If that Sparrow boy is found with her I want him arrested!"

"Jack would never do anything to hurt Lucy," Anya defended with vigor.

Victoria shot a glare at her before she continued to speak. "Jacinda is missing as well." She turned to Henry. "Would you know anything about that Mr. Mills?"

"How would he know anything?" Anya asked, feeling like she missed something.

"I don't," Henry answered, but Victoria didn't appear to believe him.

"You want your car, Mr Mills?" Victoria asked in a 'hmm' tone to her voice. "If you know something then tell me. Help me find my girls."

Anya patted Henry's shoulder, saying, "You're on your own with this one, little brother," before she walked out of the station. As soon as she stepped outside, she leaned against the wall and brought her hands to her face. How much longer could she keep up this act? – Honestly, she had no idea.

* * *

Henry told Victoria something that could help find Jacinda and Lucy and Henry's car was found. Anya stayed down the street while Jacinda spoke to Henry and once she was gone, Anya joined her brother. "You know, this place…is kinda growing on me."

Henry laughed at her then saw the serious expression on her face. "Anya, you've got to be kidding me. You want to stay here?"

"I need a fresh start," Anya said with an affirmative nod. "I'm not saying you have to stick around, but I feel like I should."

Henry felt like he had missed something big. "Where is this coming from?"

Anya didn't answer that and just lightly said, "I'm gonna get evicted out my apartment anyway."

"So…you're staying?" Henry asked, needing to know.

"Yeah," Anya answered, her decision set it stone. "I'm staying."

* * *

_The Other Realm – some years ago_

Anya had Jack in hand and used her magic to meet up with Henry where the Portal was going to open at midnight to send them home. Letting Jack ride on the motorcycle at such a young age wasn't an option so magic it was. As soon as they got there and she saw the look on Henry's face, it was clear something went on while she was with Jack and the Fairies. "What did I miss?"

"A lot," Henry answered with a laugh just as the Portal opened. He showed Anya the glass slipper Cinderella left behind for him. "I got a princess to find."

Anya looked at the Portal then back to Henry, needing to understand what he was meaning. "So…you're staying?"

"Yeah," Henry answered with a smile, "I'm staying."

Anya smiled wide, saying, "So…if you're going after Cinderella this really does make you Prince Charming."

* * *

_Seattle – Present Day_

That night, Rogers leaned against his police car with Lucy's book of fairy tales in her hand – the book which Henry had written. Ivy had given it to him to dispose of because she said it had caused too much trouble where Lucy was concerned. Earlier when he was first given it, he flipped through and something caught his eye. Now he had the time to look through it again.

He stopped at a page where there was a woman holding a bow ready to fire who greatly resembled the one he met that day – Anya. Even if he hadn't met her that day he would feel the same thing he had felt right in that moment – that he had seen her somewhere before. One thing was certain…he wanted to see her again.

* * *

End Episode 1


	2. Sparrow

Anya brought the last box up to her new apartment above Roni's bar. She blew some hair out of her face and looked it over. This apartment was a bit smaller than her previous one but the rent was cheap and thanks to Roni giving her a job at the bar below, she'd actually be able to pay for it. What was even better, she'd be close to Jack and Killian, and of course Roni. Although Anya tried hard not to think about Killian because she still felt in her core that the Curse shouldn't be broken, and if Jack was right and her love for Killian would break it…it might not end well.

Anya was pulled from her thoughts when Roni came in with a couple of beers in her hand. "Liking it?" Roni asked, handing a bottle out for her.

"Loving it, actually." Anya accepted the bottle and took a drink from it. "I really appreciate this, Roni."

Roni waved it off like it was nothing. "I've been trying to rent this place out for awhile now. No biggie."

Jack popped his head around the door and grinned. "Permission to enter?"

"Better than you crawling in through the window." Anya waved her hand for him to come on in.

"You're not still thinking Anya is your mother, are you?" Roni eyed him suspiciously.

Jack didn't answer that one way or another and turned to Anya. "Need help unpacking? I promise not to steal anything this time."

"You better not or you're gonna have to deal with your bitchy godmother." Roni smiled endearingly at Jack before mussing up his hair. "Do your homework, Sparrow. I'll see you downstairs."

Once Roni was gone, Jack turned to Anya. "Can't convince Henry to move here?"

Anya took another sip from the beer and set it aside before going through a random box. "I'm not here to break the Curse, Jack. I'm here to be closer to you."

"And dad," Jack countered. "You're not telling me neither of you felt a connection. I bet it was True Love at first sight all over again."

Anya hit the box she was going through and caused it to crash on the floor. She brought her hands to her face and took a deep breath before turning to her son. "I can't keep saying this, Jack. I love your dad, he taught me to love again – he did. But August, your father, was my only True Love. As much as I love Killian, it would never compare. It couldn't."

"You're not erasing my father from your heart by allowing dad to be in it completely. If you have enough room in your heart to hold those from your Dimension and in Storybrooke, then you have enough room in your heart to truly love both of them. You just have to believe it." Jack needed her to believe in her love for Killian. If not for his sake, then for her own.

Clearly Jack wasn't going to get anywhere with her now but that wasn't going to keep him from trying. "I'll see you later."

Anya just nodded and picked up the contents of the box that fell. There was something on the floor that fell out that she didn't even know was there. Hell, she didn't even know she still had it. Anya reached down and picked up the coin on the chain and caught her breath. This was something Killian gave to her in the Enchanted Forest of the Other Realm – the night she saved his life.

After holding it in her hand for a few moments, she placed it around her neck. Anya held onto the coin as she kissed it before hiding it under her shirt. It was a reminder of the night where she felt she just might be open to love again, and she had Killian to thank for it.

* * *

_The Enchanted Forest – Another Realm – Some time ago…_

Anya and her young son Jack were in a cottage together within the forest. Anya was starting to pace because Henry wasn't back yet. After they agreed upon staying in this Realm he told her to take Jack and the glass slipper he found back to the cottage and wait for him there. Well, that's what she had done and hadn't heard from him since and now that it was almost sunrise - she hadn't heard anything from him since the night before.

Jack woke up when he heard his mother pacing and could tell she was worried. "Want me to find him?" he asked with a yawn then perked up, "I can practice my magic!"

Anya smiled at her son and kissed the top of his head before crouching in front of him. "As much as I would love that, I would rather you not draw any attention to yourself. I would hate for any unseemly people to discover your Light."

"Our Light," Jack corrected as he put his hand on her heart. "I see it in you, Mama. It's not too bright but it's there."

Anya kissed the top of his head again and cleared her throat. "How about we practice your archery instead? You can't rely on your magic for everything."

Jack was excited at the prospect and hopped out of his seat to get his bow and quiver. "Let's go!"

Anya rose to her feet with a laugh. "Why don't you get changed first and have a little breakfast, then we can practice. I'm going out to get some water, do not go outside until I get back." She grabbed a bucket and went outside to the well. When she heard some rustling of the leaves and twigs snapping, she set down the bucket and pulled out the dagger which was hidden in her dress.

She slowly made her way around the side of the cottage and was about to strike but caught herself when she saw it was Henry. "Where have you been?!"

"A little run in with Lady Tremaine, but it's okay. Backup arrived." Henry smiled and stepped aside to reveal Hook and Regina.

"Mom!" Anya put the knife away and hugged her. "It's so good to see you."

Regina hugged her back with teary eyes and took in her daughter's appearance. "Oh, you're so beautiful."

Anya smiled and hugged Hook as well before asking, "No Emma?"

"She's fighting a horde of tiny annoying dragons," Henry answered. "Anya, where did you hide the slipper?"

Before Anya could answer, Jack poked his head out the back door, asking, "Is it okay to come out now?"

Anya waved him out with a smile.

Regina gasped when she looked at her grandson. "You've gotten so big!"

"Grandma!" Jack ran right over to Regina and leaped at her with a hug.

While they were having their reunion, Anya went to a tree that wasn't too far off. She took a deep breath, waved her hand over a spot in the trunk and used her magic to reveal an opening. When it finally appeared, she reached in and took out the glass slipper. It took a few minutes because her magic worked differently in that Realm.

"Sorry for the wait," Anya said to Henry as she handed it over to him. "I'm still trying to work out the magic kinks."

"Magic kinks?" Regina asked curiously as she returned Jack to his feet since she'd been holding him.

"It works differently here." Anya gestured to the Slipper. "So, you're gonna try to find Cinderella?"

"That's the plan." Henry handed it to his mom. "Think you can track her?"

Regina thought it was worth a try, but when she did just that it didn't work. "My magic worked earlier. Location spell should be easy, but…"

"Like I said; kinks." Anya tried a locator spell for the heck of it but she couldn't get it to work either.

"I might have a way to help," Hook interjected. "Smell that? Salt water. We're near the sea, which means there's a port. Where there are ports, there are pirates. If a woman passed through with a glass slipper, believe me, they'd know."

"Get to it, Pirate," Regina said to Hook, but before he could leave she added in, "Uh, bring Henry with you. You know, it'll be a good chance for you two to…talk."

"Can I come, too?" Jack asked excitedly. "Pirates are awesome!"

Hook chuckled at that. "Perhaps next time." He turned his attention to Henry with a sharp inhale. "You're wanted in this Realm, lad. It's best I go alone." Leaving it at that, Hook walked away and headed for the port.

Anya thought there was something fishy going on there but didn't say anything about it…yet. Instead she asked, "Anyone hungry?"

* * *

_Hyperion Heights – Present Day_

Anya came down the stairs from the apartment which led right into Roni's bar. She spotted Jack at the corner table working on his homework and went straight behind the bar.

Roni came out from the back, asking, "Have you ever worked in a bar before?"

"I've worked in a tavern once." Granted the tavern was in another Realm, but still.

Roni took that as a more modern 'in this world' definition. "Good enough. We don't serve anything fancy so you should be fine." She picked up a case of glasses and handed them to Anya. "They're all clean but need some sprucing up. Have fun."

As Anya took the case without complaint and got right to work, Roni wondered why the hell she agreed to give Anya a job in the first place. It's not she was busy enough for the extra help but there was just something about Anya that made Roni cave. What it was, she couldn't put her finger on, but it happened.

Roni was about to pour herself a drink when Detective Weaver and Officer Killian Rogers entered the bar. Now she really needed that drink. "What are the two of you doing in my bar?"

Weaver took a seat at the bar while Killian stood back. "Well, you're the only one who knows this town as well as I do. I hear Henry Mills was in here today."

While Weaver talked to Roni, Killian looked over at Anya as she cleaned the glasses without looking their way. He couldn't help but feel like he'd seen her before and wanted to get to the bottom of it, but this wasn't the time. He wanted to make the time, though.

Anya may not have been looking their way but when Henry's name came up, she sure as hell was listening.

Roni placed a glass of whiskey in front of Weaver and poured one for herself. "Bartender's like a therapist. I don't share secrets."

Weaver wasn't impressed by that. "Is that so?"

Roni placed her hands on the bar and leaned forward with a, "Yep."

Weaver and Roni had a bit of a stare down before he broke the silence. "Well, that's okay." He finished off his drink. "I always get my answers." Weaver got off the stool, looked over at Anya without a word to say to her – despite knowing who she was, told Killian to pay for the drink, and went outside.

Killian went over to Roni with the money and listened to her as she said,

"Hey, even as a beat cop I'm sure you've heard to be careful around him, right?"

Killian nodded with a scoffed chuckle. "I can take care of myself."

Roni didn't doubt that, but she still had a warning for him. "Listen, Weaver brings a lot of new partners in here and not a lot of them come back. So ask yourself – How badly do you want this job?"

Killian didn't answer her. He was going to speak to Anya but she went into the back before he had the chance to. Since there wasn't anything else keeping him there, he rejoined Weaver outside.

Jack saw this whole thing unfold and dropped his head on his assignment, thinking that this whole 'Parent Trap' scenario he had going on in his head was going to be a lot harder in reality than he thought.

* * *

_Another Realm – Some time ago_

It was nightfall, and after a day of catching Regina up on almost all things Anya, Jack, and Henry, it was time to turn the tables on her. So while Regina tended to the soup hanging over the fire, Henry asked, "So how's home? What's it like back there?"

"Well, Granny's added poke. Archie's seeing business go down because of all the happy endings. But on the flipside, his wedding officiating has gone way up." Regina had to smile at that.

"And Geppetto?" Anya asked, wondering how he was doing. "How is he?"

Regina returned to the soup. "Geppetto's doing well, he asks about you constantly. He misses you."

"I miss him, too." Anya admitted and Jack nodded because he felt the same way.

"How's Grandma and Grandpa?" Henry asked, wondering how Snow and Charming were doing.

"As you can imagine," Regina chuckled, "Sickeningly happy."

Anya felt the need to point something out. "You left out someone, Mom. You."

Henry was just thinking the same thing. "How are you, Mom?"

Regina turned back to her kids. "I'm—I'm fine." At their 'spill it' expressions, she admitted, "I miss you. All of you."

"I know," Henry spoke softly. "We miss you, too."

Anya helped Jack adjust his bow string as she asked Regina, "How's Emma? Everything going good with her?"

When Regina only answered with a "Mhm," this made Henry ask,

"What? Is something going on with her?"

"She's fine," Regina assured and joined them at the table. "Enough about us. Tell me more about your story and Cinderella."

Henry sighed. "Oh, man, I don't know. Cinderella might not even like me. I mean, if I was running for my life, I'd probably ditch the glass heels, too."

"But she only ditched one," Anya pointed out with a little grin. "I think that means something."

Henry had to admit she had a point, especially since Anya really hadn't been open to the love topic for a long time now. If she was leaning towards that possibility then perhaps it did mean something. "Maybe so, but I still have no idea what she thinks of me."

"Actually, I do," Killian answered as he entered the cabin. "And it's – it's not god," he stammered.

Henry didn't like where this was going. As he got to his feet, he asked, "What? What happened?"

Killian spoke with his hand as he answered, "I came across some pirates who crossed paths with her. She bought passage on a ship for the next morning. I caught her before she weighed anchor." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a piece of paper, and set it on the table. "She wrote this on the spot."

Killian watched as Henry read it with a groan because he knew what it said. "Yeah. And then she set sail, so I really think we should head home."

Anya couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt like something was…off. Hook didn't seem like himself, but it was subtle. In fact, she thought his mannerisms were more like the Captain Hook from her Dimension – something she never thought of with Hook before.

Henry folded up the paper with a look of heartbreak. "Yeah. Uh…yeah, it is." Even his voice started to break, but he kept it together. "This trip was an absolute failure."

"Henry…" Regina began to say, but he cut her off.

"It's okay. Really. It's okay." Henry cleared his throat. "I'm a failure." He crumbled up the paper and threw it into the fireplace.

Anya couldn't listen to him like this and went right over to him. "Hey. You listen here, little brother – You are not a failure."

Henry didn't believe her. "Right. Thanks, big sister." He cleared his throat again and went outside.

"Is Uncle Henry okay?" Jack looked at them from his seat on his bed in the corner.

"He will be," Regina assured him and turned her attention to Killian. "Go give him one of your piratey heart-to-hearts. Make him feel better."

Anya narrowed her eyes at Killian when he seemed to be hesitant to do it. "Hook, go."

"Aye," Killian replied and went outside to speak with Henry.

Anya gestured to the door and turned to her mother. "Is it only me or is there something different about him?"

Regina shrugged in an 'I have no idea' manner and left it at that.

Anya couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. "I'll be right back. Please make sure he doesn't try to finish his bow with magic." She pointed at Jack in an 'I'm watching you' manner before going outside.

Regina grinned at her grandson. "Have you been using your magic a lot?"

Jack beamed proudly. "When mama's not looking."

Regina went over and tickled Jack, making him laugh as she said, "You little scamp. "

Meanwhile, when Anya went outside she found Emma was there. "Emma!" She was so happy to see her and they exchanged hugs before she asked, "How are you? Are you okay?"

Emma nodded happily. "I'm fine. In fact, I was just about to tell Henry why I didn't come before…" She looked between them, beaming. "I'm pregnant."

Henry stood there in shock while Anya squealed in delight, "That's amazing!" Anya thought perhaps that was why Killian was acting so weird and wanted to get home so quickly – because Emma was pregnant and he wanted to get back to her as quickly as possible. Then again, maybe not.

Emma was going on about how she and Hook never did the whole diapers and feedings thing but now they had a chance to do something good from the start, and Killian had to interject there. "I have done something. I – I have to go."

Emma had no idea what that was all about. "What?" She was about to go after him, but stopped when Anya said,

"I'll go. I don't want you accidentally getting into any trouble here, especially in your condition." Anya hoped Emma would allow her to go after Killian and she did. "Jack is inside if you want to see him. I'm sure he'll be excited to see you again." After saying that, Anya took off in the direction Killian went in, wanting to find out what was going on with him.

* * *

Anya went to the port and searched through the empty streets looking for Killian and found him. Well, she found _two_ of them. "I _knew _it," she said aloud.

Hook went right over to Anya. "Anya, he's hurt. You have to help him. Use your Light to heal him, please. He's me – from the Wish Realm, magically aged down. Please save him. He deserves a second chance."

Killian chuckled, "It's too late for me." He pulled a chess piece, a rook, from his pocket and handed it to Hook. "This was my daughter's rook. I kept it to remember her. She has my knight. Find her. Give that to her."

Hook held the piece in his hand and went over to Anya. "Please help him."

Anya wished she could, but she couldn't. "I haven't figured out how to make the healing spell work in this Realm. And – and my Light it's hardly there anymore, Hook. It's gone out."

"Bring it back, Anya. There must be a way." Hook was pleading with her.

Anya looked over at Killian, sitting on the cobblestone against a wooden barrel and bleeding out from a stab wound. She couldn't watch another version of this man die again. Anya took a deep breath, crouched down in front of Killian and held her hand over his wound to try and summon her magic. When it didn't work, she talked to him,

"I now have known three versions of you. Each one of you has been different in your own way." Anya sniffled a bit as she thought of the Captain Hook from her Dimension. "Where I am from – in my Dimension – Captain Hook was old, and crazy, and – let's face it, a bit of a drunk. But he…he was my friend. He would tell me stories of all his adventures and acted them out with me. And when – when he died, he died saving my life. I see a little bit of him in you, and while I couldn't save him…maybe I can save you." Anya looked at Killian with tears in her eyes. "He was worth saving…are you?"

Killian looked at her weakly and chuckled as such, "I'm not the best judge of character, love."

Anya couldn't help but laugh because that was such a Captain Hook thing for him to say. "Good enough for me." She could feel her Light growing and the hand over his wound started to glow and heal him. When he was completely healed, Anya looked at her hand in shock because it wasn't her magic that healed him, but her Light. And her Light was only triggered by love – a love she thought was lost to her forever.

Killian couldn't believe it, but he was so grateful to her. "Thank you, Anya. Thank you."

Anya, not sure of what else to say because she was still processing, replied with, "No, Thank _you_."

* * *

The following morning, while Emma, Hook, and Henry were having a tearful goodbye, Killian went over to Anya. Once he was standing in front of her, he took off a chain with a coin attached from around his neck and handed it to her. "I would like you to have this as a token of my appreciation. You saved my life."

Anya reached out and took it from him. As soon as the coin touched her skin, she knew it was magical. "What is this spelled with?"

"Think of it as something similar to Henry's message in a bottle. If you are ever in trouble and you're wearing that…I'll know." If Killian had found that coin earlier in his life then he would have given it to his daughter, but somehow he felt it belonged with Anya.

Anya placed it around her neck. "Thank you…Uhm…What should I call you?" she laughed. "I think I'm gonna have to come up with a nickname for you so I don't get you confused with Emma's Hook or stories of Captain Hook from my Dimension."

Killian chuckled at the idea. "What did you have in mind, love?"

Anya smiled wide as something popped into her head. "Sparrow."

Killian wasn't expecting that. "Why Sparrow?"

"It's the name of another captain – a fictional one – and I think it'd suite you just fine." Anya nodded in an 'oh, yeah' sort of way and smiled.

Killian shrugged with raised hands. "Captain Sparrow? Huh, I think I like the sound of that."

At that moment, Henry and the others joined them to say their final goodbyes. Even Jack got in the mix and hugged Hook and Emma goodbye, but he was so happy when he heard that Regina and Killian were staying. "This is going to be an adventure!"

"An adventure you will be sitting out of for the most part little guy." Anya tickled him a bit. "You can be adventurous when you're older."

When Jack crossed his arms with a displeased scrunched up expression on his face, Anya and the others laughed. When the laughter subsided it was time for them to go.

After quick and final goodbyes, Hook threw a Magic Bean to create a Portal. He and Emma looked back to those who would be left behind one last time before entering the Portal to go home.

* * *

_Hyperion Heights – Present Day_

Anya was working at Roni's when Henry came in with a bruise on his face. She instantly went into overprotective sister mode and stormed right over to him. "Whose ass do I need to kick?"

"No one's." Henry sighed when he saw the look of determination on her face. "It's a long story, Anya. Seriously, just let it go."

Anya narrowed her eyes at him. "You're going to tell me eventually. Until then, I'll go get you some ice." She went behind the bar to do just that when Killian came over to her. "I can get you a drink in just a second."

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you," Killian countered as he got closer. "Do you have a moment?"

Anya finished putting the ice cubes in a cloth for Henry's eye. "Sure. Just let me get this to my brother." She moved down the bar to give it to Henry before going back over to Killian. "What's up?"

"I – I know this is going to sound crazy but…" Killian trailed off before getting to what he wanted to know. "When I was a beat cop I was looking for a missing girl but went down a wrong alley and got shot. This woman came out of nowhere and placed her hand over my wound. She – she asked me if I was worthy of being saved, and apparently she believed I was because she kept me alive until the ambulance came."

Anya's hand instantly went to the coin around her neck to make sure it was covered by her shirt because this sounded like a Curse version of what happened at the port in the Other Realm. "Is there a question here, Detective?"

Killian nodded because he was getting to that. "I never saw the woman again…until I saw you. At least, she looked a lot like you, Anya. My question is…"

Anya finished his sentence for him. "Was it me?" She shook her head. "I can honestly tell you that I never kept a police officer from bleeding out before." Oh a part of her wanted to say that it was her but she couldn't. Especially when it didn't happen when the way he remembered it happening. "I'm sorry."

Killian looked disappointed, because he was, but it was worth a try. "I'm sorry to have bothered you with this."

Anya waved it off like it was nothing. "It's fine. Everyone has a double somewhere." And in some cases, a triple. "Let me buy you a drink. Unless it's not allowed?"

"I'm off duty," Killian smiled. "I accept your offer."

While Anya was getting drinks for Killian, Henry, and herself, Killian talked to Henry about the missing girl he mentioned to Anya about and his theory of who was behind her not wanting to be found. Anya arrived at this part, "I want to hear this."

Roni joined them, too, and after Henry assured Killian that Roni was okay, Killian told them what he thought. "I have a feeling that all our problems have the same name. And that name is Victoria Belfry."

Roni wasn't surprised to hear that. "So what are you thinking, Detective?"

He replied without missing a beat. "I'm thinking that she's dirty in a way we do not understand yet. And now that I'm a detective, I can dig into things I never could before – Maybe find out what it is she's up to. And if, maybe someone could point me in the direction of people who are being squeezed by her…" he looked at Roni, then to Henry, "And if someone could write about it and release it when it's ready…if we do this then maybe some day I could find that missing girl."

Anya shook her head with an 'I don't think so' kind of expression on her face. "I really don't think I should be a part of this."

"Are you crazy?" Jack had his head stuck out from behind the door that led to the back room. "This is going to be an adventure! You're in and so am I."

"Oh, no you're not," Anya countered. "You're too young for…whatever this is."

"Actually, I'm not. But nice try." Jack grabbed a can of cola, went around to the front of the bar and sat down next to Killian. "So, what's my assignment?"

Roni hated to admit it, but Jack could be useful. "Jack is pretty sneaky."

Killian was open to any help, but he would look out for the boy. "I'll take any assistance I can get."

Henry thought this was a pretty good idea. "Huh, there's about enough here for a book."

Anya looked at him like he was nuts. "You can't be serious, Henry."

Henry grinned at her in a 'you know you want to' manner. "Come on, Anya. Put your PI skills to work. You know you're dying to be a part of this."

Killian looked at her curiously. "You're a private investigator?"

"She used to be a cop," Henry interjected, "until she got fired for bending one too many rules to get answers."

Killian didn't take his eyes off her. "So you're willing to do whatever it takes to do what's right? You sound like the perfect person we need on this team."

Anya found all eyes on her and she caved. "Oh, for the love, fine. I'm in."

Killian was glad to hear it. He raised his glass, saying, "Let's get to work."

Henry, Jack, Roni, and Anya all clinked their various beverages with his, all while Anya was hoping that this was going to end up being a terrible mistake.

* * *

End Episode 2


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